BlackBerry 10 will not launch in Japan

BlackBerry Ltd. is launching BlackBerry 10 around the world, but it will not launch a new handset in Japan. Apparently Japan is not a key market for BlackBerry and therefore, the company will not launch BlackBerry 10 at this time. A spokesman for BlackBerry told The Japan Times that it was not a snub. Right.

“(It) does not affect our key priorities in the market: to continue to provide BlackBerry service and robust support to BlackBerry’s Japanese customers, both consumers and business users,” the spokesman said. “BlackBerry enjoys a constructive relationship with trusted partner, NTT DoCoMo (Inc.), and we will continue to support the carrier’s ongoing BlackBerry sales in Japan.”

My guess is that at some point later in the year BlackBerry 10 devices will show up in Japan if they find success in the rest of the world.